Arch support



June 9, l936- J. PQSCHNELLBACHER 2,043,396

ARCH SUPPORT Filed Dec.. 20, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEIQTUR W EIY W 77" AJT CIRNEYEI June 9, 1936.

J. P. SCHNELLQBACHER ARCH SUPPORT 2 SheetS Sheet 2.

Filed Dec. 20, 1934 W? W ATTEIHNEYE Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention has reference to arch supporters and has for its primary object the provision of an arch support adapted to be used in association with a shoe, capable of supporting portions of the foot in a firm but resilient manner.

Another object lies in the provision of a supporter as aforesaid having convenient means for adjustment to the end that different portions of the foot may be supported in any manner that is required for a particular injury or deformity.

Another object is to provide an arch supporter of the class described wherein the adjustable supporting elements are assembled and retained in a self-contained unit which is removable from the associated innersole parts, whereby supporting elements of various sizes, forms and supporting power may be interchanged, for the purpose of applying modified support as required in the treatment of broken arches in the foot or other deformities thereof.

A further object is to provide an arch supporter comprising an innersole and a removable arch supporting element adapted to be associated therewith. 7

Before proceeding with the description, it may be remarked that I am aware of numerous devices somewhat similar in form and function which have been placed upon the market, but'I herewith present a device having particular utility and novelty of structure not found in conventional arch support devices.

It is well known that in cases where the metatarsal or other bones of the foot, with their associated muscles, become misplaced or weakened the accepted method of readjustment includes placing a supporting means under the affected part for the purpose of supporting the bones in their proper relation, to thus remove a portion of the stress on associated weakened muscles and tendons whereby the same may have rest and an opportunity to recuperate to the end that the difiiculty may be permanently removed.

It is further well known that aifections of the instep portions of the foot vary widely as between indfiiduals. With some, the affection may be of recent origin or incipient. and therefore may require only a slight, resilient support, or the support may be required only in certain localities. On the other hand the affection may be of long standing and of serious extent so as to require a support sufficiently sturdy to meet requirements while at the same time being resilient as possible for comfort of the wearer.

' It is with the foregoing in View that I provide the device disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my arch support device showing relative positioning of parts to be described;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 shows the assembly as the same would appear installed in a shoe, viewed from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1, with certain portions of the shoe broken away to permit clearer View of underlying parts;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view showing details of a removable unit portion of my invention, which will be described;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of an element of the invention to be described;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the part shown in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fractionated elevational sectional view showing details of the invention to be described.

Figs. 1 and 2 disclose my invention as generally comprising an innersole member l0 having a conformity adapting it to be placed in a shoe., The member ID is preferably made from leather and is pre-formed to have an elevated portion II intermediate its ends and disposed at one side as illustrated. The elevated portion is so disposed as to have its highest part lie under the instep upon the inner side of the foot and to have its surface decline substantially therefrom on all sides to merge with the surface of the innersole.

A metal plate I2 is disposed to lie across the area below the portion II and is secured at each end to the innersole structure by any suitable means, such as pieces of leather l4 sewn to the innersole in such a manner as to form pockets to receive the ends of the plate.

Plate I2 is provided, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, with a plurality of upstanding lugs l5. The lugs are so disposed upon the plate that when the plate is attached to an innersole, the lugs will lie in an upwardly directed position. The purpose of the lugs will be explained shortly.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a support unit comprising an envelope structure l6 having an open side IT. The envelope is fashioned on its upper side to substantially conform with the interior surface of portion l l of the innersole, while its lower side lies substantially flat as shown.

The body of the envelope is preferably made from a single piece of soft rubber or similar material. At the point where the upper and lower portions meet the material is formed to provide a somewhat thick, wedge shaped edge I8.

Embedded in the envelope material are upper and lower plates [9 and 20. The upper plate I9 is fashioned to conform with the general contour of the upper portion of the envelope and the lower plate 20 lies fiat as shown.

Fig. 4 illustrates that the envelope is adapted to receive and retain a plurality of coil springs 2| between its upper and lower walls.

Fig. 8 illustrates in detail that upper plate I9 is provided with inwardly directed perpendicular portions 22 and plate 28 is provided with similar portions 23.

Portions 22 and 23 are so arranged in the plates, and the plates are so arranged with respect to each other that the former lie in alignment and are adapted to act as retainers for springs 2| to hold the same in proper position in the envelope.

It is to be noted that the material of the envelope is so disposed as to completely cover the plate l9 together with the portions 22 and that there is formed in the envelope material annular groove 24 surrounding the portions 22 whereby to provide cushioned recesses adapted to receive and retain the ends of springs 2| without contact between the springs and metallic portions of the plate.

Adjacent the lower plate20, the envelopematerial is formed in a manner similar to that just described with the exception that the interior of portions 23 are left open and an opening is provided in the envelope material opposite the openings of the plate.

It will be apparent that portions 23 of plate 20, also portions 22 ofplate l9, are so disposed as to register with lugs l5 of plate l2, and in Fig. 8 it is clearly shown that lugs l5 are of such proportions as to be received in the opening in portions v23 whereby, when the envelope .unit is placed in suitable position upon plate l2, the lugs l5 enter the openings 23 to accomplish anchorage by means of which the envelope structure is removably anchored on the plate.

It will now become apparent that the envelope unit may be inserted in the space between plate 12 and elevated portion H of member ID as shown in Fig. 2, to be firmly retained in position by means of lugs l5. It will also be apparent that, due to the resilient construction of the device, the lower portion thereof may be raised sufficiently to disengage the unit from the lugs as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, whereupon the unit may be removed from the innersole.

It is to be noted that there is no attachment between plates l9 and 2!] other than is provided by :the envelope material'and that plate [9 is in fact, a floating member held in suitable alignment with plate 20 by means of the envelope material and is resiliently supported to oppose vertical movement by springs 2| while at the same time the outer edges of the plate are partially supported by the thicker edge portion l8 of the envelope. Thus the springs co-operate with the envelope material to support the elevated portion ll of the innersole, in a resilient manner.

Since there is a layer of soft envelope material between all metal portions of the device, except between lugs l5 and plate 29, the device is entirely noiseless when in use.

With the envelope removed from the innersole it is quite obvious that the springs 21 may easily be removed and interchanged with springs of different characteristics.

Fig. 1 illustrates that the springs are so disposed as to provide support at the particular points dictated by the anatomy of the foot. 5

Since springs of any desired strength may be easily and quickly placed in any one of the several positions shown, allowing frequent modification of various portions of the support, it is clear that my device provides an efficient means for pro- 10 gressive treatment of the foot affections noted.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, it is to be noted that plate I2 is so fashioned and disposed as to have its rear, or heel end 25 lie against the counter portion of the heel of the shoe, and its forward 15 end 26 lie against the upper of the shoe at a point beyond the arch thereof.

Between the two points noted the plate is cut away to approximately follow the conformity of the instep portion of the shoe. 0

It is well known that in practical use, devices of this kind tend to progressively move toward the inside of the shoe whereby that portion lying between the toe and heel presses against the soft upper leather of the instep portion. This por- 25 tion is obviously not sufficiently stiff to oppose the side movement, with the result that the upper leather is often deformed sufficiently to destroy the symmetricalappearance of the shoe. Also, in the case just noted, the support element be- 30 comes misplaced in relation to the shoe and foot with resulting loss of efficiency.

With the arrangement herein described the side thrust of the device is applied at points in the shoe which have sufiicient strength and firmness 35 to oppose sidewise movement, whereby the device is firmly held in proper position.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described including in combination an innersole member having an ele- 40 vated portion, a plate member attached to the innersole at each side of the elevated portion and a unitary support element inserted between said plate and innersole, said support element comprising an envelope member made from resilient 45 material, said envelope having an open side and receptacles formed on opposite interior surfaces of two of its sides, said receptacles adapted to receive and retain resilient supporting means, and resilient supporting means disposed in said 50 receptacles capable of forcing the sides of the envelope apart.

2. In a device of' the class described the combination of an innersole member having an elevated instep portion, a reinforcing plate member extending across said instep portion and a unitary support mechanism inserted between the plate and elevated portion, said unitary support mechanism comprising an envelope structure made from resilient material, metal plates embedded in the upper and lower walls of said structure, spring members disposed between said Walls to force the same apart, means integral with said plates and envelope Walls to anchor said spring members in position, and means cooperating between said reinforcing plate and said lower embedded plate to removably hold the support mechanism in position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the material of the envelope is so distributed about said spring member anchorage means as to prevent metallic contact between the spring members and upper and lower plates.

4. Adevice as set forth in claim 2 wherein said envelope structure comprises upper and lower Walls made from resilient material, said walls being joined at their edges, the material included in the joining portion being capable of cooperating with said springs to assist the same to hold the walls apart.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said envelope structure comprises upper and lower walls joined together throughout a portion of their edges, the material included in the joining portion being of thicker cross section than that of the walls.

6. A device of the class described including in combination an innersole member for a shoe, the same having an elevated portion above the instep portion of the shoe and a unitary support element disposed below said elevated portion, said support element comprising an envelope structure having upper and lower walls and springable members disposed between the walls capable of forcing the walls apart whereby to form a resilient support for said elevated portion of the innersole.

'7. A device of the class described including in combination an innersole member having an elevated portion, a plate member attached to the innersole at each side of the elevated portion and a unitary support element removably inserted between said plate and innersole, said support element comprising upper and lower plate members attached to resilient material which extends beyond, and is joined at points spaced from the ends of the plates thereby forming a unitary structure, and. spring members disposed between said plates.

8. A device of the class described including in combination an innersole member having an elevated portion, a plate member attached to the innersole at each side of the elevated portion and a unitary support mechanism removably inserted between said plate and innersole, said support element comprising upper and lower plate members attached to resilient material which extends beyond, and is joined at points spaced from the edges of the plates thereby forming a unitary structure, and spring members disposed between said plates.

9. A device of the class described including in combination an innersole member having an elevated portion, a plate member attached to the innersole at each side of the elevated portion, a support mechanism comprising a group of spring members arranged in spaced relationship and confined between separated upper and lower weight distributing members, said support mechanism being adapted to be placed between said elevated portion and plate member or removed therefrom as a unit without use of tools.

JACOB P. SCHNELLBACHER. 

